Patent EA-004969-B1 (EA)
Title: Method and apparatus for feeding a stack of metallic sheets into a melting furnace
Inventor: RAITANEN TERO
IPC: F27D3/00
Filed: 2002-01-02
Abstract: 1. A method for conveying stacks of metallic sheets, in particular stacks of metallic cathodes, into a melting furnace, characterised in that the stack of metallic sheets (1) is gripped by a grapple element (10), such as a lifting grapple, which is arranged on a transfer device, and the stack of metallic sheets (1) is transferred into a melting furnace (2) chamber (14), and that at a predetermined height inside the furnace chamber, preferably relatively near the bottom of the furnace and/or melt, the metallic stack (1) is released by acting on the grapple element (10) with a mechanical arrangement. 2. A method according to claim 1, characterised in that the stack of metallic sheets (1) is gripped by the grapple device (10) by the opposite walls of the stack of sheets. 3. A method according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the stack of metallic sheets (1) is turned to a vertical position before it is gripped by the grapple element (10). 4. An apparatus for conveying stacks of metallic sheets (1), in particular metallic cathode stacks, to a melting furnace (2) characterised in that the apparatus comprises a lifting device (9) and a grapple device (10) arranged on it and elements arranged on the grapple for the release of the stack of metallic sheets (1) into the chamber (14) of a melting furnace (2) at a predetermined height, characterised in that the grapple device (10) consists of a grapple frame (18), which is arranged movably on a lifting frame (19) of the grapple, and clamp elements (11,12) hinged scissor-like onto the grapple frame, and attached in a hinged way at the upper ends to the lifting frame (19) by means of support arms (16,17) so that when the grapple frame (18) moves downwards with regard to the lifting frame (19), the clamp elements (11,12) move into a clamping position and that when the grapple frame (18) moves upwards with regard to the lifting frame (19), the clamp elements (11, 12) move towards an open position. 5. An apparatus according to claim 4, characterised in that the grapple frame (18) stop element (96), in particular a stop cable, is arranged onto the grapple (10) connection, which at a certain predetermined point prevents the movement of the grapple frame (18) with the lifting frame (19) when lowering the stack of metallic sheets (1) into the furnace chamber (14), so that the grapple frame in relation to the lifting frame (19) begins to move upwards, whereupon the clamp elements (11,12) move towards the open position. 6. An apparatus according to claim 4, characterised in that the grapple device also comprises locking elements (20,21) for locking the clamp elements (11,12) at least in the open position and element (22) for removing the clamp element lock. 7. An apparatus according to any one of claims 4-6, characterised in that the apparatus comprises at least one loading station (3), a feeding device (4) for detaching the stacks of metallic sheets (1) from the loading station at a standard height and for conveying the stacks of sheets to a conveying device (5), a conveying device (5) for transferring the stacks of metallic sheets (1) to sheet stack turning station (7) and appliances on the turning station for turning the stacks of metallic sheets (1) into an upright position. 8. An apparatus according to claim 4, characterised in that the stop cable acting as a grapple frame stop element on the grapple device is fixed by the first end to the grapple frame and at the other end to the frame structure (100) and arranged so as to move via at least two bending wheels (97,98), of which at least one bending wheel (97) is arranged so as to move in its guide (99).